Improvement in treating the timber of old field-pines



tntr iatet @anni @da y .JAMESIL GATLING,'OF MURFR-EESBOROUGH, NORTH CAROLINA.

Leners Patentno; 113,158, dated March as, 1871.

IMPROVEMENT IN TREATING THE TIMBER'OF OLD FIELD-FINES.

They Schedule V:referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the lame.

To all whom, t may concern being had to the annexed drawing making a part of this specication and to the lettersand gures of reference marked thereon.

Figurel of the drawing is a representation of a pine tree, showing how my process is applied.

Figure 2 is a sectional view through the line :v x.

My invention has relation to a new article of lumber, the result of the application to old eld-pine trees of a novel process of preparation, whereby the external or sap-wood is converted into a substance resembling in appearance and durability the wood ofthe long leaf orvheart-pine tree.

The method of preparing the o'ld field-pine tree may be thus described.

Having selected a tree of suitable dimensions-for the piece of timber required7 the bark is skinned off, commencing several inches above the grounchand extending upward on the south side of the tree to such a height as is necessaryv to inake a piece of timber ot' the required length. The tree is not girdled, however.

A strip of bark four or live inches in width is left on the north side of the tree, connecting the band of bark remaining at the root with that at the top ofthe tree, in the manner indicated in the drawing. This barking should be done in the spring of the year,- when the sap is rising.

The ei'ect of this operation will be to produce a dow ofthe sap o1' turpentine to the decortieated surface, which will become coated with pitch.

Alter this outside crust is formed, the pitch that as- I cends will lodge in the pores next the crust, thoroughly saturat-ing the wood, and rendering it similar to the wood ofthe heart-pine.

In the spring ofthe next year the strip of bark on the north side of the tree is removed. A crust of pitch will then form on the denuded surface, and the wood of the tree will become saturated in this portion in the same manner as the other side. of the tree was impregnated the previous year.`

lhe tree can be cut for use at any time after the following summer, the time required for completing its preparation being about eichteeu months.

-Iy the process above described the tree vis made to acquire al1-outer layer or protecting stratum of dura ble weather-proof Wood, similar to what is commonly called light wood.

' rlhe kind of pine that I propose to utilize by this process is the pious teda, or old field-pine,l the wood oi' which is utterly worthless except for fuel, and for mere temporary purposes of-construction, on account of the rapid decay ofthe albumen on exposure.

By choosing trees oi' suitable dimensions, masts and spars may be obtained w blc. By hewing the tree on two opposite sides the first year, and'ou the other two sides the second year,v

timber may be obtained which will be suitabley for joists, railroad-ties, Stc. Kindling-wood, 'which is getting scarce in the neighborhoodsof towns and cities, may be obtained in the same manner.'

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The process herein describedA of preparing the old field-pine tree, as specified.

2. The timber, provided withan external layer of Aresinous wood, when obtained from the old field-pine tree by the process specified.

In testimony that-I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name in thepresence of two witnesses.

JAMES H. GATLING.

Witnesses:

0. H. FOSTER, Tiros. H. NICHOLSON.

hich will be strong and dura' 

